Principal Advisor – Risk Management

Job title: Principal Advisor – Risk Management

Company: Wellington City Council


Job description: Kia mahi ngātahi mō Pōneke mō tōna āpōpō | Working together for Wellington’s future.We’re Working for Wellington. Wellington City Council’s team provides more than 400 services every day for Wellingtonians – everything from parks and pools to consents and cemeteries – playing our part in making Pōneke an inclusive, sustainable, and creative capital for people to live, work and play.At Te Kaunihera o Pōneke, the Legal & Risk team is at the heart of our decision-making, trusted to guide the Council with expert legal advice and strategic risk management. They play a pivotal role in ensuring Te Kaunihera (Council) not only stays ahead of risks but also makes informed, confident decisions. By proactively managing risks, we help build a culture of resilience, while continuously developing internal knowledge and intellectual property that strengthens the foundation of our organisation.To support this important function our amazing General Counsel, , is looking for a highly capable and forward-thinking Risk & Assurance Principal Advisor to lead risk management across the organisation. In this strategic role, you’ll lead a refresh of risk management at Council, have the full support of a collaborative Legal & Risk team and work alongside people who genuinely care about good governance, sound decision-making, and continuous improvement.The Legal & Risk team has a real knack for turning tricky situations into clear, practical solutions. The team is empowered to tackle challenges together, turning risk management into a shared opportunity for growth and innovation.This is an exciting opportunity to make a real impact, providing strategic risk leadership and helping to build capability across Te Kaunihera while working within a team that’s supportive, collaborative and focused on enabling the wider Council in supporting the communities we serve.Āu ake mahi | What you’ll doAs the Principal Advisor, you’ll play a key role in embedding best practice risk management throughout Te Kaunihera. You’ll lead a refresh of our risk framework, offer expert technical advice, and support leaders at all levels to identify, assess, and manage both strategic and operational risks.You’ll drive a culture of proactive risk thinking and act as a connector, fostering collaboration and building trust in risk management practices across the organisation.

• Lead the review and reporting of our strategic risks, including regular engagement with ELT and the Audit & Risk Committee.
• Provide coaching, facilitation, and high-quality risk workshops for leadership and elected members.
• Work with external providers to refresh and embed the risk management framework across Te Kaunihera.
• Develop a work plan to lift risk maturity and lead the risk maturity assessments.
• Support operational teams with tailored advice, tools, and processes for managing risk at all levels.
• Present to senior leadership, providing trusted, independent advice on current and emerging risks.
• Build a network of internal “risk champions” and lead capability uplift initiatives across the organisation.
• Ensure Council’s risk management aligns with its strategic goals and is integrated into day-to-day decision-making.

Ngā tohu me ngā wheako | Qualifications and experienceYou’re a natural strategic thinker, comfortable advising senior leaders and navigating complex environments. You’re not just about policies and procedures, you’re about influencing culture, lifting capability, and building a sustainable, future-focused approach to risk.You’ll bring:

• Bachelor’s qualification or professional qualifications e.g., finance, risk management, hazard management with extensive experience at a senior level in risk management, ideally in a complex or public sector environment.
• A proven track record of influencing senior leaders and delivering high-impact strategic advice.
• Experience developing and applying effective and pragmatic strategies and initiatives to lift risk management maturity across organisations.
• Strong facilitation skills and the ability to coach and build capability across diverse teams.
• Ability to use data and analytics to evaluate exposure and risk management gaps.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including experience preparing reports and delivering presentations to executive leadership.
• A collaborative mindset and a passion for building organisational resilience.

Nōu te rourou | What’s in it for youWorking for the Council offers you , flexible working options, health and wellbeing support, Council staff discounts and a range of learning and development programmes and opportunities.More than that – you’ll be playing a part in making Pōneke an inclusive, sustainable and creative capital for people to live, work and play.Applications close 13th of May 2025. All applications must be submitted online, and all applicants must have the right to work in New Zealand.We want to make sure any accessibility requirements you may have, are well supported so the selection process is equitable for everyone. Please let us know if there are any adjustments or support, we can offer to make our process more accessible to you by emailing:

Expected salary:

Location: Wellington

Job date: Thu, 01 May 2025 07:47:56 GMT

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